Nolzurs Paint Kit box
crazmadsci Review

Boneclaw Paint Kit: Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures Review

Two weeks ago I did something in my miniature hobby I’ve never done before. I painted in a public setting, more specifically in my friendly local game store. I decided to join in the festivities of a paint night by painting the Boneclaw from Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures paint kit. These paint kits were made as a way to get the models before they go to mass retail and encourage people to gather show excitement and give people reasons to support their in person stores. Or rather that is at least what i’ve been told. What makes them special is that for $20 you receive a model, two wizkids paint brushes, and 12 paint samples from the Vallejo paint line.

Nolzurs Paint Kit box
Nolzurs Paint Kit box

However due to the last year many of these kits were unused and have been sitting around. So although this model is available for purchase my store just reently had theirpaint night. Slowly the painting nights have been happening and I really needed a night out and opportunity to meet new people. Over the course of the last decade I have known the tabletop gaming community I can count on one hand how many times I’ve spent a substantial amount of time in a store so this was a really big step for me. I still haven’t played in a store in over 10 years, but perhaps this is the year that changes. To put it lightly I was pretty nervous.

The Prep

When preparing for this paint night I had no idea what to expect and if I should come prepared. Would it look ridiculous if I brought my own wet pallet? What about brushes? I did not know if this was a class, an open paint night, or what really to expect. So I actually packed some things in my backpack to pull out what I needed without hopefully looking ridiculous after gauging the room around me. This turned out to be a great plan and know that next time I shouldn’t be so concerned.

What Comes in the Paint Kit?

So what does the kit comes with?

  • A Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures & Base
  • 12 paint samples of Vallejo paints. (Mostly using Vallejo model color)
    • Two paints I believe are washes
  • A paint water cup
  • Two wizkids paint brushes
Nolzurs Paint Kit box opened with contents displayed
Nolzurs Paint Kit box contents
Nolzurs Paint Kit paint colors in paint journal
Nolzurs Paint Kit paint colors

For the price this is an incredible way to see if you were interested in miniature painting and wanted a night to see if they were interested in painting or wanted to try a few paints out. The cost of the Nolzurs Paint Brushes ($10.99 via Miniature Market) and the miniature Boneclaw ($8.99 via Miniature Market) alone cost the same as the entire kit. The only thing missing from the Nolzurs Paint brushes is the dry brush. So having extra paint and more than you need on one model is a great deal.

Nolzurs Paint Brush set
Nolzurs Paint Brush set
Nolzurs Miniatures Boneclaw Miniature
Nolzurs Boneclaw Miniature

Overall the only primary thing I felt like I was missing was some of my mediums or a dropper bottle to help thin down my paint. Also most importantly I wish I had a paint handle to hold the miniature while I paint. I can’t believe how much paint I got on my hand while trying to paint this model. I really loved having my wet palette and was glad I was not the only one who brought some extra tools to paint night.

The Experience

Sitting at my table I got to meet a wide variety of hobbyists. I loved how we significantly ranged in age and experience from two high school siblings painting their first model. Older cosplayers including one who forgot his glasses so chatted instead. And of course someone who 3D prints as well! It was great to share experiences and feelings like everyone at the table was on an equal playing field. I did not get to meet and talk to everyone at the other tables as there were about 3 full tables and a 4th that was there for part of the time.

I realized quickly that I am not a speed painter and paint extremely slowly. That along the fact that I appeared to have chosen two of the worst paints in the collection; Violet and Skin Wash. Violet was not labeled as a wash but is definitely a wash which you can see was a choice for a good portion of the robes and took too long for coverage and in hindsight I should have abandoned the task and picked another color. After painting some of the skin I used the skin wash in attempt to just have a bit in the recesses darkened but instead turned my all of the skin on the model orange. Between attempting to clean up the violet that kept spreading like a plague around my hands and table and attempting to build my ghostly pale skin back up from the poor orange spray tan it received I did not get anywhere close to where I wanted to be with the model. I was also distracted trying to make connections with people and feeling out the community in hopes to find people to play games with in the future. After about two and a half hours I gave up for the night and just enjoyed the company chatting.

I have every “intention” to going back and finishing this model to my personal standard in the future but alas I have too many projects going on. Make sure you follow along the blog to see if I ever get to updating it.

Final paint job of Boneclaw after paint night
“Final Paint” job after paint night.

What Would I do Differently?

There were definitely paints in the paint kit that did not age well in their sample pots and separated pretty significantly. Perhaps if I drop some mixing balls it could give me a better life in the paints provided. I think I will try that next time and bring some to drop in. If I know the model ahead of time I also want to prep with an image or two to gauge what paint scheme I should go with. Trying to decide how I want to paint the model is a pretty slow process to me.

As for the paint kit I definitely think that it is now one of my favorites to suggest as a way to get into the hobby and feel it out. While the paint range would be substantially limited to the colors directed towards the model getting a miniature and two paint brushes is worth the $20 alone.

I also fell in love with two colors from this kit and am currently using it for my Snotlings Bloodbowl team. Once I run out of these samples I absolutely plan on purchasing full bottles of them. Those colors are Dark Prussian Blue and Luftwaffe Unif. WWII. I appreciate the fact that the samples also include the product numbers for easier finding.

Boneclaw Paint kit favorite paints
Boneclaw Paint kit favorite paints

Conclusion

Would I do this again? Absolutely. I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to get to know my local game store more. Plus I was surrounded by a bunch of people who are a bad influence and encouraged me to not only buy a second Blood Bowl team but also a start collecting box from Age of Sigmar. I am so excited and definitely plan on trying to play a few games at the store.

Next in line for paint night in March is the Chimera Model! Have you ever used these paint kids what did you think?

Product image of Nolzurs Chimera miniature figure
Chimera Product Image

Past Writings

Pile of miniature figures in pieces
crazmadsci 3D Printing, Tools & Organization

The Shattering Reality of my Miniature Collection

Disaster Strikes

Last weekend a disaster struck. A massive majority of my miniature collection has come crashing to the ground thanks to the adventuresome behavior of my cat, Turtle. You see at the moment my miniatures are being housed in an old bedroom TV cabinet as I am working on “figuring out” an improved method of widespread storage. In reality I have been continuously making it worse by stacking an increasing number of boxes and containers on top of each other just waiting for the day something shakes the whole tower down.

Well that day happened. On Saturday I heard a large CRASH and was terrified it was my curious toddler. I go running and immediately feel two emotions. First I am absolutely relieved to find that no child or animal was hurt. Secondly I felt my heart sink to my stomach as I saw the devastation the laid before me.

Miniatures lay in pieces scattered over the floor as hundreds of models crashed on top of each other, into other boxes or just spread out. The largest damage of which is my painted miniatures of 2021. Over half of all models painted in the last year lay in pieces. 

Pile of miniature figures in pieces
Some batch of models in pieces.
Black cat named Turtle
The culprit! Turtle the Cat

Trying to Piece it Back Together

I then proceeded to spend a large portion of my time to see if I can glue as much of the minis together. While I was trying to piece much of my hardwork of 2021 I had an inner dialogue of problems and perhaps ways I can fix them and should focus on for 2022.

Cutting mat with broken miniatures and superglue to repair the models
The surgical field, to glue models back together.
Frostgrave necromancer model in 6 pieces
Haggatha the Necromancer
Lizardmen miniature in pieces
Lizardman, Lost Adventures Vol 1
Hill giant model in pieces
Hill Giant, Lost Adventures Vol 1

Trying to Solve the Problems

Actually Utilizing My Storage Solutions

“Carrie, why in the world did you wait this long to try to organize your models?”

Voice in my head

You see this is actually ironic because last year I spent a long post series on organizing my collection & hobby space: Storage Wars. I even went as far to develop a new storage tray system for my models (Storage Wars: Part 3 Miniature Storage Trays). Yet in my haste towards the end of the year I did not fully utilize system. The biggest issues that I have is that I have no way to display or store models I’m using that are completed.

Solution: Actually utilize my storage solutions! Take the time to put models away. Find a way to store finished models safely or on display.

Experiment with New Materials

The harsh reality of it is that resin from 3D printing can be extremely brittle. Depending on the material used, duration of cure times, or even staying in storage exposed to UV light can increase this brittleness in your resin models & terrain. Towards the second half of last year I began to use harder resins which are more impact resistant making them more likely to just break rather than shatter. This was definitely noticeable in my Dwarven Frostgrave army printed mostly in 2020 rather than my husband’s necromancer undead army printed later 2021. When the newer models broke I could find most of them to try and glue back together. However some of the original resins used that were basic resins without additives such as ABS-Like or Hard were more likely to shatter rather than break. Let this be a testament on more durable resins being valuable! However in truth and with all the benefits of 3D printing the brittleness of the models definitely is a very strong negative about the 3D printing hobby. I had no reaper bone model damage, metal model damage and very little hard plastic model damage. 

Solution: Prime all printed models to prevent more curing from storage & investigate and start a series of experiments with flexible resin additives to give models more give and capabilities to stay intact.

Begin Cataloging My Collection Again

Last year I started a database of my miniature collection as well as a visual catalog. While it is still a long way to go it is a start. One major downside to this is that in December I sold off a large portion of my collection and did not update my spreadsheet or visual. I need to go back through the list and update the data before I can continue to grow again.

Solution: Update the Spreadsheet, visual catalog and actually track the known vs unknown.

Conclusion

I recognize that finding better systems to account for ever curious toddlers and adventuresome creatures is a much needed thing. I wish I could have shelves to hold the things I love and have spent time on but just do not have the space for it in our home. If you have a precarious pile of models this is my warning to you to make it safer.

How do you keep your hard purchased or crafted items for your tabletop games safe? I keep telling myself that this is the moment where I learn my lesson, but only time will tell.

Happy Hobbying!

Carrie aka crazmadsci the Crazy Mad Scientist

Past Writings

2021 Benchmark Model Showcase Featured Image
crazmadsci Retrospective, Skills

How To Gauge Growth in Miniature Painting

2021 Benchmark Model Dwarf final paint job
2021 Benchmark Model: dwarf final paint job


2021 Benchmark Model Comparison

When working on improving any skill or hobby, oftentimes it is hard to gauge personal growth. You can become so deeply focused in your task that having the capability to step back and gain a larger perspective is difficult. Or in some cases the improvement may be so small or subjective it is hard to determine any improvement at all. This can lead to frustration, lack of motivation or even burn out.

How can you to solve this problem?

Last January I set out to try to solve this issue. I painted a benchmark miniature figure so that I may judge my improvement over the course of one calendar year. This benchmark was at that time the very best I could do in painting a miniature. I set no time limit and poured myself into it. The primary goal was to test if I could see a before and after of how far I developed as a miniature painter. 

So what is a benchmark?

Something that can be used as a way to judge the quality or level of other, similar things.

Merriam Webster Dictionary

So in this situation I used the same model painted a year apart to test their different quality levels.

Setting the Baseline

Here is an image of the model painted January 2021. If you want to read more about my thoughts about it at the time and painting read the 2021 Benchmark Model.

Painted dwarf miniature figure. Final collage of painted 2021 Benchmark Model
2021 Benchmark Model: Dwarf

So the million dollar question, have I improved a year later?

Have Others Give Their Opinions

Front view 2021 Benchmark Model first painted January 2021, left. Right benchmark model painted January 2022 to see personal growth in hobby.
Left 2021 Benchmark, Right 2022 Benchmark
Backview of 2021 Benchmark Model first painted January 2021, left. Right benchmark model painted January 2022 to see personal growth in hobby.
Left 2021 Benchmark, Right 2022 Benchmark

When I finished painting this model last week I will admit to feeling a bit deflated. I attempted to focus on painting the new model using a similar paint scheme in hopes that the comparison should not be influenced over preferred color. However when I placed the paint brush down at the end I was not Wowed. I felt no immediate pride or even noticed any significance in difference of my model. In my mind I could only envision where I wanted to go with the model and yet didn’t have the skill (seeing only the flaws not the victories). I couldn’t step back and admire what I could accomplish in the today.

So I decided to ask for help to take a photo to my friends, family, and fellow members of the painting community. The question was simple. “Which model is the newer one and why?” Could people see my improvement where I could not? Could people actually see the areas in the hobby I desired to improve upon in that year?

The conclusion was simple. Every single person who guessed my old model vs my new model was correct. No matter their background or skill set there was not a single person who guessed was wrong. Even non-painters saw growth.

Here are some of the various pieces of feedback and comments I received from different platforms:

Basing is fancier, the skin is smoother. In general fewer visible brush strokes.

The metal looks more like metal, than “gray”. The skin looks more natural, and less glossy. The basework is more complex. The eyes look more natural too. Overall, just appears to be a higher quality paint job.

Both are better than my painting. They look great, but skin on the right looks way better.

Looks like smoother coats. The eyes are better. Cleaner paint work on the rims of the pauldrons. Just all around more attention to detail on it. Some blending on the cheek bones it looks like

The Consensus

Significant areas of improvement were the base of the model which was vocalized as was fancier, more adventurous, and more complex.

It was also noticeable on my improvement with skin & eyes. The skin did not have a glossy appearance (Nuln Oil has a gloss version by the way). Also the layering of my skin was better. My work at setting a baseline with skin using the Hill Giant last year really paid off here.

Lastly my metallics appeared to be better. Did not appear as a basic gray but had sharper lines and better brush control with edge highlighting.

However there was also a repeated opinion that it appears that I am also making a stylistic change. Moving away from washes in the beard and cloth perhaps took away from the contrast and did not push the highlights as much as I did a year ago. Check out the comments.

I feel like the right one has sharper lines and colors so my instinct is to go with that one being the more recent one, but it almost feels a bit like a stylistic choice between the rougher more blended palette and the sharper more distinct style

This comment also gave some feedback on potential improvements with washes which I absolutely agree with.

Looks to me like the one on the right is the more recent one. The one on the left you used more washes, the one on the right more highlighting. There are things about both that I like. With the washing, I’d say try and go a little less wet, you have a lot of the ‘coffee stains’ where your wash dried to the edges and makes your ‘creases’ a bit of a mess. Less paint on the brush. BTW, a wash that is dabbed on a paper towel till mostly dry is essentially a glaze technique which looks like you did on the right guys face, looks great! One thing I like about the wash is you maintained a lot of contrast. To tighten up your highlights, thin the paint, dab from brush, and do multiple passes if you have to. Overall, I like the composition and I think with just a few tweaks you’ll have some new things to explore.

My husband even agrees that the beard in particular he prefers on the old model than the new one. This is something that I need to go back and work on for sure.

More Detailed Comparision

One thing I absolutely forgot I did when I wrote the 2021 Benchmark write up is I included specific areas of desired growth. Listed below. Lets go through and see which ones I succeeded in.


Aspects of Desired Growth

  • Fur: Can I learn to paint fur better that it could even dictate the type of animal it comes from? Potential area to improve skills and knowledge in drybrushing?
Benchmark comparison of personal growth for painting fur from 2021 to 2022
Left 2022 fur, Right 2021 Fur

No Change. This aspect I consider no growth. They were essentially the same with contrast paint used on the newer model and more drybrushing and colors used on the older model. None scream as a better approach but rather just different approaches.

  • Armor: Methods and ways of painting True Metallics in miniature figures. Can I make armor shine? What are the different types of metals?
1 year growth comparison of painting metal armor on miniature figures 2021 to 2022
Left 2022 metal painting, Right 2021 Metal Painting

Success! This area was commented numerous times as significant areas of improvement. Use off better metallics along with selective use of washes and significant improvements on brush control & edge highlighting shine here.

  • Weapons: How do I make metallics & weapons look more battle worn and dinged?
1 year growth comparison of painting swords on miniature figures 2021 to 2022
Top 2021 sword, Bottom 2022 sword

Fail? (Just Different) I personally think that the weapons look less battle damaged in the new model vs the old. The use of the wash on the sword really helped give more of an aged aesthetic.

  • Skin: Starting completely from scratch. Largest desire is to have growth and variety in skin tone for my miniature collection.
  • Hair: Much like skin I have not put much effort into growing or researching this area in miniature painting.
Side by side comparison of painting faces on miniature figures from 2021 to 2022
Left painted face 2022, Right painted face 2021

Success and Fail. In this aspect my skin and eye are significantly improved but the contrast off the beard was preferred on the old model. I am proud of where I started with skin but want to research hair more.

  • Cloak: Layering and contrast. Can I improve my layering? Make smoother transitions in blending the layers? What methods & techniques work best for me?
Painted cloak comparison of Benchmark 2021 model. Left 2022 cloak and Right 2021 cloak
Left painted cloak 2022, Right painted cloak 2021

Success. Improved blending was definitely an area off focus here. I worked quite a bit last year on glazing and next year hope to grow in wet blending. Also work towards improving those highlights.

Technical aspects I seek to improve upon

  • Improving Brush Control. Success
  • Zenethial Highlighting & Source Lighting, Success
  • Basing. Can I make the miniature tell a story, Success
2021 Benchmark Model standing on slate rock, shield and sword being based before priming.
Model appearance after basing
Picture of 2021 benchmark model sitting in airbrush booth
2021 Benchmark Model Take 2 Primed via Airbrush
picture of finish model look after airbrushing
Airbrushed Primed 2021 Benchmark Model

Adjacent Goals

  • Improve my miniature photography, Success

3D Printing the Figure

  • Can I improve the state of the print itself? Success
  • Methods to improve post process clean up, Success
  • Note I did break a hand/weapon joint and had to use green stuff to clean it up again. Success no breaks

Of all the other areas I wish to grow I definitely feel like I hit improvements on each single one. This is a really good feeling.

Final Photographs

Right side view 2021 Benchmark Model first painted January 2021, right. Left benchmark model painted January 2022 to see personal growth in hobby.
Left 2022 Benchmark, Right 2021 Benchmark
Back view 2021 Benchmark Model first painted January 2021, right. Left benchmark model painted January 2022 to see personal growth in hobby.
Left 2022 Benchmark, Right 2021 Benchmark
Side view 2021 Benchmark Model first painted January 2021, right. Left benchmark model painted January 2022 to see personal growth in hobby.
Left 2022 Benchmark, Right 2021 Benchmark
Front view 2021 Benchmark Model first painted January 2021, right. Left benchmark model painted January 2022 to see personal growth in hobby.
Left 2022 Benchmark, Right 2021 Benchmark

Paints Used

Not only did I improve in some painting skills, I also am happy that I have started a paint journal to keep track of paints used, notes, and thoughts during a project. Sometimes those notes are simple such as here.

Paint Journal for Benchmark Model Cloth and Skin
Benchmark Model Paint Journal
Paint Journal for Benchmark Model Fur, Pouch, Pants, Armor and Weapons
Paint Journal for Benchmark Model Page 2

Conclusion

I am super glad that I took the time to paint this model and do a benchmark test. Although I was disappointed the moment of completing the figure looking back only a few days I am excited about my growth in the hobby. This write up has also been immensely helpful to show me that I am indeed getting better.

One thing I definitely take for granted and need to articulate is the fact that along with improving my painting skill, I have sped up tremendously. While the original model was painted over 5 painting sessions this one was over 2. This is also an area of hobby growth.

I highly recommend a benchmark model if you ever feel like you are stagnant in your hobby or skill growth. This was a fun experiment and I am definitely going to be doing another one for this year and perhaps make it an annual thing. If you want a sneak peak as to what I’m working on make sure you follow me on Instagram.

Have you ever painted a benchmark? Can you see a difference? What should I focus on for the next year?

Thank you for sharing this journey with me. As always happy hobby.

Carrie, crazmadsci the crazy mad scientist.

2021 Benchmark MoDel

Past Writings

crazmadsci Uncategorized

2021 Benchmark Model

For 2021, I decided to paint a “Benchmark” of my skill growth for the year. The goal is to see the before and after of how I have developed as a painter. This year I decided to paint a model from the Hold my Dwarf kickstarter set. This duel wielding swordsman, from the Solider Set 5 collection, contains several aspects on what I really want to focus and improve upon on for the year. The areas of desired growth and questions I ask myself are listed below.

At the end of the year I will print another version of the model and paint a new model and talk about my personal growth. I am interested and excited to see where this experiment goes.


Aspects of Desired Growth

  • Fur: Can I learn to paint fur better that it could even dictate the type of animal it comes from? Potential area to improve skills and knowledge in drybrushing?
  • Armor: Methods and ways of painting True Metallics in miniature figures. Can I make armor shine? What are the different types of metals?
  • Weapons: How do I make metallics & weapons look more battle worn and dinged?
  • Skin: Starting completely from scratch. Largest desire is to have growth and variety in skin tone for my miniature collection.
  • Hair: Much like skin I have not put much effort into growing or researching this area in miniature painting.
  • Clock: Layering and contrast. Can I improve my layering? Make smoother transitions in blending the layers? What methods & techniques work best for me?

Technical aspects I seek to improve upon

  • Improving Brush Control
  • Zenethial Highlighting & Source LIghting
  • Basing. Can I make the miniature tell a story

Adjacent Goals

  • Improve my miniature photography.

3D Printing the Figure

  • Can I improve the state of the print itself?
  • Methods to improve post process clean up
  • Note I did break a hand/weapon joint and had to use green stuff to clean it up again

Progress Photographs

Final Photographs

Overall I am happy and satisfied with the display of my skill for this model. I have several things that I am frustrated on such as lack of choice in hair color and knowledge to create better more defined skin. I also would like to learn how to do gems/crystals for the sword hilt. I am really happy with the little detail in the green pouch and have received several comments about the swords being a key point of enjoyment.

One interesting comment which I think could lead to a great study or discussion on personal preference was the feeling of the figure being too “clean” as in not adventure worn enough. Adding dirt and grime to the model could give this dwarf a more warrior feel.

Paints Used

Also apparently as a goal for the year I am going to improve my formatting on documentation of paints used. I mean this is a thread on improvement right?

Continue reading to see how I grew in miniature painting a year later!

2021 Benchmark Model Final Comparison
crazmadsci Uncategorized

Great Dragon & Eggs Dragonlock Miniatures

Dragon Miniature Print Data
Saving the most anticipated piece for last. This dragon is massive and has a base of 5 inches in diameter (12.7 centimeters) estimated a 10 inch total wingspan (25.4 centimers) and length of close around 11 inches (27.94 centimeters). As the featured piece for the Dragonlock Miniatures Kickstarter I thought it would be only fitting for using this print project as the finale of my individual posts. As of this post I have officially completed and printed every model from the Fat Dragon Games/ Dragonlock Miniatures Kickstarter, i’m so pumped. Stay tuned for the overall breakdown post. I am also pumped because you can never have too many dragons right?

This Great Dragon overall printed really well and has a ton of texturing on the skin of the model. This will overall paint nicely. I had some consistent themed issues in retraction and overhangs. Yeah yeah I need to dial those in ASAP, after my next 2? projects i’m already working on for my FDM printer i’ll recalibrate and tune up the print profiles. Stay tuned for some write ups on that process. In terms of detail there is even ribbing along the eyes of the model! This is by far the most detailed sculpt of the entire collection by far. My largest complaint about the model is that the assembly of the model does leave some more sizable gaps I will have to do some post processing to clean it up. I almost wish there were holes in the wings and body to use magnets for easier storage since the wing span makes it take up so much space. Perhaps i’ll drill into it and get some magnets. I struggled to glue the wing tips on and used green stuff to help in that process. I really should get some accelerant for my super glue.

In conclusion this was a blast to make and see this creature come alive. This is by far the largest monster I have made on my printer. Be sure to read below on my comments on the individual components that make up the model and like always a link to the files to purchase from the Fat Dragon Games website is listed below.


Layer Height: 0.08
Filament: Hatchbox Silver PLA
Adhesion: Brim for wing tips, Wings, head
Printed On Prusa i3 MK3s
Print Profile: Cura 4.6 “Offical_FDG_Cura_ender3_and5miniatures_4mm” from The FatDragonGames website
Orientation: Orientation of model loaded into slicer.

File NamePrint TimeEstimated Material UsedMisc Notes
Dragon_Peg10 min0.4g Printed TwiceCame out well helped to link pieces together.
Dragon_Wing_Tips35 min1.1g Printed three times, I kept dropping tips and couldn’t find the tiny piecesPrinted several times extra. I kept loosing wing tips while attaching and couldn’t be found so just printed some more. Man this is why I love the power of 3d printing.
Dragon_Wing_Left15 hr 3 min40.6gSome retraction issues on the underside of the wing. Will have to sand and buff up the wings but that is ok. Most issues are along the ribbing of the wings.
Dragon_Wing_Right14 hr 42 min39.4gMore retraction issues than left wing which is strange that the behavior is different per wing but using the same settings.
Dragon_Tail2 hr 17 min5.2gCame out well some small filament build up showing in wings but easy fix and will probably give the wings a more realistic appearance.
Horns1 hr 3 min2.4gCame out well and attached well to the dragon. Probably one of the best fits on the entire model.
Dragon_Neck2 hr 45 min9.5gOverhang issues visible on spikes on the top of the neck. Large gap between head and neck. Attempted to use green stuff to fill in the gap.
Dragon Head2 hr 32 min7gProbably the best success in the entire print the head looks great even the teeth and tongue. My only complaint is some overhang issues on the top of the head due to the orientation of the print.
Dragon_Body1d 4 hr 20 min99gBody came out really really well as well. Some small overhang issues along the butt of the model and underside but most wont see it.
Dragon_Eggs3 hr 22 min11gPrint went well very simple. Layer lines show pretty badly

Where to Find STLs

Dragonlock Miniature store via DrivethroughRPG. Vendor images are frome Fat Dragon Game Website.

Market Images from FatDragonGames Website

Giant Worm
crazmadsci Uncategorized

Giant Worm Dragonlock Miniatures

Giant Worm Miniature Print Data

Looking for an absolute classic? You can’t go wrong with this gargantuan creature. Yes you heard me gargantuan. The base of this model is 4 inches (10.16 cm) in diameter with a height of just around 6 inches (16.24 cm). This is by far one of the largest miniatures I have made to date and owned. While there are several different types of massive worms to fight in Dungeons and Dragons the most common is the Purple Worm of which I am planning to paint it as. Well I actually am currently actively painting it and it is sitting on my table next to me while writing this.

This purple worm is an interesting model to be sure. There are several highlights about the design of this sculpt and several in my mind downfalls.

The Good: I really love how this model really fits together. The piece prints in 5 parts of decreasing size as you move up the model which essentially hug the body making a nice clean fit until the head which is a flat cut and uses pins to attach. The way the model is cut and built provides a natural curvature to the sculpt. The print is relatively easy to print although I did have one failure on the bottom piece of which it lost print adhesion. Thankfully it was almost done and I am able to hide the error with some green stuff to secure the bottom in place. The spine of the model was also easy to print and I noticed very little retraction issues along its spine.

The Bad: My singular most largest complaint is that the worm itself does not fit securely into the base of this model. As one of the few models in the entire collection that have the base separated from the monster completely it is obviously a weaker point in the sculpting strategy. The fit is not secure or snug and will require dirt or some kind of basing material to fill in the gap. I originally secured it with green stuff but will fill it in once I get more of the painting completed. A personal pet peeve is that I struggle with the orientation of this print. As you can see in the photograph the model consists of plates and scales along the model. The scaled portion typically in most lore descriptions and graphical images from fantasy genre use it as its belly. However the scaled portion on the model is too the side and not the underside which makes it a pose difficult (in my beginner mind) to paint. I am going to attempt to simulate a whale jumping out of water with its belly to the side. Hopefully my basing will help share that story.

Overall this model is one of my favorites for sure the only question next is… How the heck am I going to store it?

Layer Height: 0.08
Filament: Hatchbox PLA Silver
Printed On Prusa i3 MK3s
Print Profile: Cura 4.6 “Offical_FDG_Cura_ender3_and5miniatures_4mm” from The FatDragonGames website

File NamePrint TimeEstimated Material UsedMisc Notes
Worm Peg 5 minPrinted Twice
Worm_A4 hr 15 min20gPrint failed right at the end. This was devastating as I was so excited about the print. Turns out however that it is the bottom most piece of the worm and I can hide it, so I never reprinted the piece.
Worm_B3 hr 28 min11gMost obvious seam between A and B when gluing.
Worm_C2 hr 54 min9g
Worm_D2 hr 26 min7gTwo pegs go between D and E to help attach the head. Which was a nice touch since the cut was smooth
Worm_E2 hr 52 min8gMost obvious seam between D and E when gluing, this was a flat surface and did not fold into the model like the rest of the pieces
Worm_base10 hr 35 min40gThe hole for the worm is much too big and did not feel like it fit as neatly as many other models. I will have to fill in the gap with basing material after finish painting.

Where to Find STLs

Dragonlock Miniature store via DrivethroughRPG. Vendor images are frome Fat Dragon Game Website.

Market Images from FatDragonGames Website

Kobold Warriors
crazmadsci Uncategorized

Kobold Warriors Dragonlock Miniatures

Kobold Miniature Print Data

Kobolds as creatures are a monster in dungeons and dragons that really deserve a novel to be written about them, but alas I am not a subject matter expert nor do I have the time. These creatures have evolved greatly over the last several editions of Dungeons and Dragons so much so they have shifted from being classified the same as goblinoids to being of dragon decent in more recent editions of Dungeons and Dragons.
These small creatures are vastly misunderstood and overall for these models I believe that to be the same.

Although I am supportive of having models that fit the size category in height for models I have found that this little guys are incredibly difficult to find and easy to loose due to their tiny size. I will most likely rebase these models to a larger size since they will still occupy a standard 1″ square grid. As for the models themselves I think they printed well but am disappointed there is not more of a variety in their poses and weapon choices. These models were easy to print which is an added bonus. These guys print quickly and can easily make more for larger battles the day of a session. Very little issues occurred with printing these models.

Overall no one can go wrong by adding more kobolds to your collection. Almost every campaign I’ve ever played has started with a kobold fight or character. Meepo i’m thinking about you from the Sunless Citadel. You will always be one of the most misunderstood NPCs i’ve ever traveled with.


Layer Height: 0.08
Majority of time used 6mm brim with no supports (Poor Goblin 3 with Axe).
Printed On Prusa i3 MK3s
Print Profile: Cura 4.6 “Offical_FDG_Cura_ender3_and5miniatures_4mm” from The FatDragonGames website

File NamePrint TimeEstimated Material UsedMisc Notes
Kobold_0128 min1gNot bad very simple miniature
Kobold_0230 min0.8gA very small amount of warping on the base
Kobold_0330 min0.8gThis kobold is probably shows the most issues with some small melt at the top of the head and spear.
Kobold_0438 min1.3g
This little dead guy is not too bad. I like the fact that he fell on his stomach so painting is going to be along the spine of the creature.

Where to Find STLs

Dragonlock Miniature store via DrivethroughRPG. Vendor images are from the Fat Dragon Game Website.

Market Images from FatDragonGames Website

crazmadsci Uncategorized

Trash Beast Dragonlock Miniatures

Trash Beast Miniature Print Data

The Trash Beast is above and beyond the most difficult miniature to print. I do not know what it was about one of its tentacles but I would always fail. I believe I attempted the piece above its eye approximately 4 to 5 times before I had good enough adhesion, didn’t run out of filament or some other strange reason I couldn’t track down. Finally a big enough brim, better adhesion, as well as a new nozzle finally game me the success I need.
For the trash beast itself also commonly known as an Otyugh in Dungeon and Dragons is another creature that has existed in all 5 editions of dungeons and dragons and yet I have never encountered the. This is a shame of course because these intelligent creatures can even speak in common. Perhaps one day my band of adventurers will encounter this beast.
As for the print quality the print itself looks good, some retraction improvement along the tentacles and very obvious “mold lines” on the model where the pieces reattached. The one benefit of this model is how easily it was to attach the pieces to glue this guy together. Perhaps I shall use this model to try to improve my sculpting skills?


Layer Height: 0.08
Filament: Hatchbox PLA Silver
Printed On Prusa i3 MK3s
Print Profile: Cura 4.6 “Offical_FDG_Cura_ender3_and5miniatures_4mm” from The FatDragonGames website

File NamePrint TimeEstimated Material UsedMisc Notes
TrashBeast_A11hr32.6gMain body printed well, really love how the tongue and bottom teeth came out.
TrashBeast_B30 min1.1gThe tentacle to the side of the model came out well with an obvious seam along the joint of where it attaches. Overall it was easy to join and glue.
TrashBeast_C1:58:005.2gThis piece was the most difficult piece to print in the entire collection of Dragonlock miniatures so far. I do not know why it was so difficult but I finally got it done and attached.


Where to Find STLs

Dragonlock Miniature store via DrivethroughRPG. Vendor images are from Fat Dragon Game Website.

Market Images from FatDragonGames Website

crazmadsci Uncategorized

Hill Giant Dragonlock Miniatures

Hill Giant Miniature Print Data
This print, I will admit is my absolute least favorite of the entire Dragonlock collection. I have personally struggled with how I was going to write about his model. I have decided to speak the truth regardless of the praise or criticism so my readers will know what kind of models they would be getting or if issues are just user error.

Update: January 6, 2021. This file has been updated by Fat Dragon Games and given more detail. Print below represents first version.

Overall as you can see from the image not all pieces of the model are shown on the figure. The club is not glued on and the shield. However I decided to leave those pieces out in order to display and better describe my points. As you can see on the model there are several obvious locations where pieces were attached on the model, most notably the downward hand and the waist. These pieces were straight cuts for convivence of printing as they fit directly onto the build plate but due to this there is no assistance for gluing the model together. This makes the lines of the model obvious and can make the glue job sloppy. This is probably the worst fit for assembly of the entire collection of the 2019 miniature line. The club however does have a small hole (seen by the pointy bit on the handle) of which to join it. This however was much too small for the size of the club.

There are of course issues with the print that are my own such as obvious layer lines displaying telling me I have a loose belt or vibration issues. However overall compared to the other models this sculpt seems rushed. I even looked back on the kickstarter itself and see that there was only concept art of this model upon the launch of the kickstarter and was pretty far down the list of models to unlock. Perhaps this was one of the last they sculpted and wanted to just finish? Either way I will use this model for paint practice but unfortunately I doubt i’ll put it on my table. I wish there was more detail on the model especially the torso. So many giants can look incredible and you can really add the detail on FDM prints due to its size making it easier to print.

This is a lesson learned and is needed to 100% print the complete collection of the kickstarter.


Layer Height: 0.08
Filament: Hatchbox PLA Silver
Adhesion: Brims on the weapons such as the club
Printed On Prusa i3 MK3s
Print Profile: Cura 4.6 “Offical_FDG_Cura_ender3_and5miniatures_4mm” from The FatDragonGames website

File NamePrint TimeEstimated Material UsedMisc Notes
Giant Shield7 min1gWas very confused that this piece was used as a belt for the model. The shield was very tiny and did not feel like it belonged.
Giant Club38 min1gClub (not show on image) came out well but had a tiny pyramid shaped form fit to attach to the handle. This was incredibly difficult to attempt to attach and I ended up giving up on it honestly.
Giant Hand21 min1gincredibly difficult to glue to the body. Struggled to get muscle orientation just right. Fit was a straight cut with no attachment
Giant Torso1 hr 51 min6gSupport under elbow made a slight hole in the arm. Overall I could visually see vibrational issues with my machine as there are more obvious layerlines. Fit and form with all additions to model were difficult and did not appear to fit well.
Giant_Legs4 hr 36 min12gTorso came out well to the model but again like the rest of the pieces the fit to the torso was not smooth and there is an obvious line where gluing occurred.

Where to Find STLs

Dragonlock Miniature store via DrivethroughRPG. Vendor images are frome Fat Dragon Game Website.

Market Images from FatDragonGames Website

crazmadsci Uncategorized

Roper Dragonlock Miniatures

Roper Miniature Print Data

This dragonlock miniature I think is fantastic in the fact that a stalagmite is added to the model collection. These creatures which have appeared in every edition of Dungeons and Dragons to date are monsters waiting and lurking around every corner just waiting to lash out and grab with its tendrils a nearby adventurer as they walk by. Overall these prints came out well with little to no difficulty and finished within one singular group print! With some small retraction issues and stringing on the Roper these things are easily cleaned up. I can’t wait to see and figure out my paint scheme for this monsters as I want it to match the surroundings of my terrain. Time will tell! Stay tuned for a painting post in the future.

Update: January 6, 2021. This file has been updated by Fat Dragon Games and mouth has better fit as well as tentacles thickened for easier printing. Print below represents first version


Layer Height: 0.08
Filament: Hatchbox PLA Silver
Printed On Prusa i3 MK3s
Print Profile: Cura 4.6 “Offical_FDG_Cura_ender3_and5miniatures_4mm” from The FatDragonGames website

File NamePrint TimeEstimated Material UsedMisc Notes
Roper7 hr 19min*25g*Some small stringing between the teeth and retraction on the tail.
Staglmite*group print*group printPrint came out great, not very difficult to print a simple rock.

Where to Find STLs

Dragonlock Miniature store via DrivethroughRPG. Vendor images are frome Fat Dragon Game Website.

Market Images from FatDragonGames Website